The first National Portrait Gallery exhibition to be devoted to the medium of film, this major new display will focus on portraiture primarily through the medium of 16mm film. Tacita Dean's longstanding and personal interest in portraiture is shown through her films of influential figures like Merce Cunningham and Claes Oldenburg, both previously unseen in the UK, as well as Cy Twombly and David Hockney. Further highlights include her film diptych of Julie Mehretu, photographic works and two new films, 'Providence', made for the exhibition, and 'His Picture in Little', created specifically for the gallery's permanent collection. You can explore Tacita Dean's complete works at three major London galleries this spring: Portrait at the National Portrait Gallery, Still Life at the National Gallery and Landscape at the Royal Academy of Arts from May 2018.

The National Portrait Gallery houses portraits of significant figures from the late 15th century to the present day. This isn't the place to come for serious works of exceptional artistic merit - the overriding aim of the National Portrait Gallery is to reflect the status of the sitter, not the artist - but where else in London could you hope to find The Beatles, Henry VIII, Sir Richard Branson and JK Rowling all hanging out together? The appeal of this gallery (opened in 1856) rests simply in its comprehensive commemoration of British history from the late 15th century to the present day through the medium of portraiture. More about National Portrait Gallery

Further articles featuring Tacita Dean: Portrait on LondonTown.com

Find out the best London 2018 events with our comprehensive guide to the top entertainment in the city throughout the year. From January through to December, 2018 is packed with unmissable events - so read on to get the best out of London town.

The Inheritance: Part 2London > Events > Theatre Dates: 28th September 2018 to 5th January 2019Tacita Dean: Portrait, St Martin's Lane, WC2N |
3 minutes from Tacita Dean: PortraitHearts are broken and emotional wounds salved as young gay men in modern-day New York continue to wrestle with their feelings in the closing chapter of ...More

The Inheritance: Part 1London > Events > Theatre Dates: 21st September 2018 to 5th January 2019Tacita Dean: Portrait, St Martin's Lane, WC2N |
3 minutes from Tacita Dean: PortraitFollowing a sold-out run at the Young Vic, Matthew Lopez's new play, The Inheritance, comes to the West End for a strictly limited season. Directed by ...More

True WestLondon > Events > Theatre Dates: 23rd November 2018 to 16th February 2019Tacita Dean: Portrait, 404 Strand, WC2R |
5 minutes from Tacita Dean: PortraitKit Harington - famous for his leading role in Game of Thrones - and Johnny Flynn - star of Lovesick, Beast and US TV series Genius, ...More

National GalleryLondon > Attractions > Art GalleriesTrafalgar Square, Westminster, London WC2N |
1 minute from Tacita Dean: PortraitThe National Gallery dominates London's Trafalgar Square with its neo-classical columns and portico designed by William Wilkins adjoining the square on its east side where it ...More

LibraryLondon > Nightlife > Bars112 St Martin's Lane , Covent Garden, London WC2N |
1 minute from Tacita Dean: PortraitPrivate members club housed in a five story town house, with a restaurant, hotel, bar and nightclub. Members are voted in by a committee but it's ...More

Cork & BottleLondon > Nightlife > Wine Bars44 Cranbourn Street, Soho, London WC2H |
2 minutes from Tacita Dean: PortraitLocated in the heart of the West End you’d expect it to be packed with the usual crowds but hidden in a basement below a sex ...More

National Portrait Gallery
events

Gainsborough's Family AlbumGainsborough's Family AlbumThe National Portrait Gallery brings together all surviving portraits of Thomas Gainsborough's daughters for the first time for its major new exhibition, Gainsborough's Family Album. The exhibition will showcase the twelve portraits, which feature the Gainsborough girls as young children right through to fashionable adults. Items such as The Artist2018-12-19T00:00:00+00002019-02-03T00:00:00+0000
Where:

National Portrait Gallery,
St Martin's Place
WC2H 0HE

Category: event

Ongoing

Gainsborough's Family Albumevent > Exhibitions > Art exhibitions - Portraits and PortraiturePRICINGWith donation: £14.50-£16 | Without donation: £12.50-£14DATES22nd November 2018 to 3rd February 2019VENUENational Portrait GalleryThe National Portrait Gallery brings together all surviving portraits of Thomas Gainsborough's daughters for the first time for its major new exhibition, Gainsborough's Family Album. The exhibition will showcase the twelve portraits, which feature the Gainsborough girls as young children right through to fashionable adults. Items such as The Artist... More about this event

Taylor Wessing Photographic Portrait Prize 2018Taylor Wessing Photographic Portrait Prize 2018A mother holding her baby, a child from a remote village in the jungle in Sierra Leone, a series on the all-female teams of majorettes in South Africa and a double portrait of a pair of shoppers in London are the four photographs shortlisted for this year's Taylor Wessing Photographic Portrait Prize. Open to professionals, emerging artists and amat2018-12-19T00:00:00+00002019-01-27T00:00:00+0000
Where:

National Portrait Gallery,
St Martin's Place
WC2H 0HE

Category: event

Ongoing

Taylor Wessing Photographic Portrait Prize 2018event > Exhibitions > Art exhibitions - PhotographyPRICING£5 (Adults), £3.50 (Concs), Free for membersDATES18th October 2018 to 27th January 2019VENUENational Portrait GalleryA mother holding her baby, a child from a remote village in the jungle in Sierra Leone, a series on the all-female teams of majorettes in South Africa and a double portrait of a pair of shoppers in London are the four photographs shortlisted for this year's Taylor Wessing Photographic Portrait Prize. Open to professionals, emerging artists and amat... More about this event

Elizabethan Treasures: Miniatures by Hilliard and OliverElizabethan Treasures: Miniatures by Hilliard and OliverSmall is beautiful and nowhere more so than at this National Portrait Gallery display, the first major exhibition on Tudor and Jacobean portrait miniatures in the UK for over 35 years. Showcasing the most skilled artists of the period, Nicholas Hilliard and French born Isaac Oliver, Elizabethan Treasures includes portraits of Elizabeth I, Sir Walte2019-02-21T00:00:00+00002019-05-19T00:00:00+0100
Where:

National Portrait Gallery,
St Martin's Place
WC2H 0HE

Category: event

Elizabethan Treasures: Miniatures by Hilliard and Oliverevent > Exhibitions > Art exhibitions - Portraits and PortraiturePRICING£10, £12 (with donation)DATES21st February to 19th May 2019VENUENational Portrait GallerySmall is beautiful and nowhere more so than at this National Portrait Gallery display, the first major exhibition on Tudor and Jacobean portrait miniatures in the UK for over 35 years. Showcasing the most skilled artists of the period, Nicholas Hilliard and French born Isaac Oliver, Elizabethan Treasures includes portraits of Elizabeth I, Sir Walte... More about this event

Only Human: Photographs by Martin ParrOnly Human: Photographs by Martin ParrBritain in the time of Brexit is seen through the lens of Martin Parr, a photographer famous for his wry observations of Britishness. The new works form just one section of Only Human: Photographs by Martin Parr which opens at the National Portrait Gallery this spring. Featuring portraits of people from around the world, the exhibition examines nat2019-03-07T00:00:00+00002019-05-27T00:00:00+0100
Where:

National Portrait Gallery,
St Martin's Place
WC2H 0HE

Category: event

Only Human: Photographs by Martin Parrevent > Exhibitions > Art exhibitions - Portraits and PortraiturePRICING£18, £20 (with donation)DATES7th March to 27th May 2019VENUENational Portrait GalleryBritain in the time of Brexit is seen through the lens of Martin Parr, a photographer famous for his wry observations of Britishness. The new works form just one section of Only Human: Photographs by Martin Parr which opens at the National Portrait Gallery this spring. Featuring portraits of people from around the world, the exhibition examines nat... More about this event

The Jamie Lloyd Company's season of Harold Pinter's one-act plays continues with a double-bill of scathing attacks on materialism and the class system including Pinter's final play, Celebration. ...More

Cate Blanchett comes to the National Theatre in 2019, the Spice Girls reunite and Christian Dior is the Designer of Dreams at the V&A. Two new musicals are dedicated to Dolly Parton and Mary Poppins, ...More

Christmas favourites like The Nutcracker, Carols at The Royal Albert Hall and the Santa Dash return along with a Festive Feast at Hampton Court Palace and a new puppet show from the puppeteers behind ...More